Jose Mourinho: Marcus Rashford was lacking in confidence prior to Liverpool game

“He is clearly growing in confidence as a United player, undoubtedly helped by the fact he knows that José Mourinho rates him very highly”.

Advertisement

“We had played well enough to be in front but the first goal quickly altered things”.

He continued: “One of the reasons Rashford’s game time has been limited recently is Sanchez’s arrival from Arsenal in January”.

The 170th league meeting between the two sides was decided by a Marcus Rashford brace, who scored twice in 10 first-half minutes to move the Red Devils five points clear of their opponents. “It is a joy to play next to him”. United defended like their lives depended on it and the Reds frantically searched for answers, but Mourinho’s game plan ensured the urgency would not equate into results.

Rashford’s start against Liverpool was just his third in United’s last 14 games. On those occasions, it was neither a “masterclass” or a display of “pragmatism”, but rather a needlessly defensive approach, reliant on luck due to David de Gea saving them – like, for example, against Sevilla a few weeks ago.

West Ham dominated the first half in which Burnley’s keeper Nick Pope made several fine saves but everything turned sour at the London Stadium after the break om Saturday.

We had also the in the first half (a chance) to finish the game and make it 3-0 but we didn’t use our chance.

Lukaku was instrumental in allowing United to get an early foothold in yesterday’s game, earning an assist for Marcus Rashford’s opener, before playing a pivotal role for Rashford’s second of the afternoon.

After his two additions to the scoresheet, Rashford’s name entered the notebook of referee Craig Pawson for an exuberant but late challenge on Liverpool midfielder James Milner, and he admitted that his manager Jose Mourinho warned him during the interval to calm down. Mohamed Salah had arguably his worst game in a Liverpool shirt and was tagged out of the match, as Young fully nullified the influence of the Premier League’s most prolific player. Manchester United kept pushing with a simple gameplan where the rival was the weakest, scoring two quick goals and then shutting the game. Other than Eric Bailly’s own-goal, it was a ideal afternoon for the United manager, and a display his supporters will argue vindicates his approach. “He is improving a lot in training”.

The 20-year-old’s 70th-minute withdrawal for Marouane Fellaini brought some boos from the Old Trafford crowd but Mourinho was more unhappy with some of the negativity directed at McTominay.